The present invention relates to an abrasive brush, and particularly to a roll-shaped laminated abrasive brush.
Conventional laminated abrasive brushes made of nonwoven abrasive sheets compressed or packed on a shaft typically lack mechanical strength and often have a tendency to slip when the shaft is rotated. Attempts to eliminate these problems associated with such laminated abrasive brushes have been reported in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. (Kokai) 8-25229 and 9-201232.
Kokai Publication 8-25229 discloses a holder for an abrasive disk tool. A plurality of disk-shaped sheet members, each composed solely of abrasive material, are aligned next to each other and secured, in a compressed state, to each other by snap-fit type fasteners. To optimize the axially compressed state and regulate the density of the abrasive material (disk-shaped sheet members), a separate spacer is placed or interposed between adjacent disk-shaped sheet members.
Kokai Publication 9-201232 discloses an abrasive brush having disk-shaped sheet members composed of abrasive material that are aligned next to each other and compressed together to form a laminated roll brush with a jig, and then adhesive impregnated in the sheet members is cured to maintain a laminated roll shape. The laminated brush is mounted on a spindle of a rotating device via a center through-hole.
The device reported in Kokia 8-25229 has a problem in that the dimensions (lengths) of the snap-fit type fasteners determine an overall width of the resultant brush. In addition, when a brush assembly of a highly compressed type is manufactured using intervening spacers, there is a further problem in that a specialized device or tool is necessary for the assembly of the brush, resulting in difficult assembly at a job site.
In order to manufacture the brush reported in Kokai Publication 9-201232, a large installation is required for curing the adhesive, which cure is unsuitable for being carried out at a job site, and therefore the assembly of this type of brush (assembly) is generally carried out in a specialized facility. Also, it may be difficult to obtain a desired brush surface hardness by the curing of the adhesive.
The present invention provides a reasonable and economical abrasive brush having a strength and abrasive characteristic similar or superior to those of conventional brushes, and which allows a brush assembly having a desired width dimension and a desired brush surface hardness to be readily and easily manufactured.
The present invention provides a disk-shaped abrasive brush that may be combined to form a roll-shaped brush. This abrasive brush includes a hub and a radial outer brush section, the hub being integrally formed with the brush section, characterized in that the hub comprises a flat part, a recessed part and a projecting part. At least one of the flat, recessed and projecting parts of one abrasive brush is engaged with at least one of the flat, recessed and projecting parts of another adjacent abrasive brush in order to define a pitch between the two abrasive brushes.
It is preferred that the projecting part of one abrasive brush is engaged respectively with the flat, recessed and projecting parts of another abrasive brush in order to define mutually different pitches between the abrasive brushes.
It is also preferred that the hub is formed through injection molding a predetermined plastic or resin, wherein at least an inner periphery of the brush section is formed from a material having numbers of openings, to permit molten resin for the injection molding of the hub to flow into the openings, and wherein the hub is integrally formed with the brush section, in such a manner that a radial inner portion of an abrasive material penetrates into an outer peripheral side surface of the hub, and that the molten resin for the injection molding of the hub flows into and is solidified within the openings of the penetrated radial inner portion of the brush section.